Reel



Dec. 28, 1,943. H. c.` HoWsAM 2,337,606 REEL i Filed oct. 16, 1942 Patented Dec. 28, 1943 REEL Hilyard C. Howsam, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Hubbard Spool Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 16, 1942, Serial No. 462,253

12 Claims.

My invention relates to reels or drums adapted particularly for heavy service for supporting comparatively heavy material such as cable, wire or the like as, for example, signalling wire for army use.

The general object of the invention is to produce a strong and rugged but comparatively light reel which will resist distortion or breakage during transportation or during service,

An important object of my invention is to produce a reel for the purpose described in which the heads are of non-metallic material, such as wood, reinforced by strengthening members on the outside thereof in the form of metal stampings which cooperate to support metal bushings for receiving b-ars for supporting the reel for winding or unwinding.

A further object is to provide reinforcing means in the form of bars integrally stamped from stock steel and secured to the outer sides of the heads to extend diametraily and to intersect, with metal bushing members rigidly held by the bars at their intersections.

Another object is to further strengthen the heads by sheet metal tires clamped around the peripheral portions of the heads.

The various features of my invention are incorporated in the structure shown on the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is an end elevation of a reel;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the middle portion of one of the cross bars;

Figure 4 is an enlarged View of the middle portion of the other cross bar; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on plane V-V of Figure 1.

The reel comprises the cylindrical heads H and a barrel B which may be of Wood, sheet metal, or any other suitable material, and the barrel may iit at its ends intorecesses Ill in the inner sides of the heads, bolts II extending through the heads inside of the barrel for clamping the heads to the barrel ends.

The heads may be integral of plywood or other non-metallic material, or may be built of sections or boards I2 jointed together. Sheet metal tires I3 are preferably provided for receiving and clamping the peripheral portions of the heads to protect these portions against wear and to assist in holding the section I2 together and in alignment.

For reinforcing each head I have shown two reinforcing members C and D extending diametrally across thel outside of the head and at right angles with each other. These reinforcing members are formed integrally of sheet steel by suitable dies and they intersect at the axis of the head. The inner member C has a substantially rectangular body or hub I4 whose middle portion I5 is off-set outwardly a short distance to form a circular boss. This boss has the square opening I6 therethrough for receiving a bushing E. The bushing shown is formed integral of sheet metal and has the rectangular body Il' for fitting and extending through the square hole I6 in the member C and through the square hole I8 in the head body. The outer portions of the side walls of the bushing body are deflected laterally to form flanges or wings I9 which engage against the outer face of the boss I5, to which they are rigidly secured as by spot welding 29. The arms 2i extending from the middle portion I4 lie fiat against the outer side of the head body and are rigidly secured thereto as yby means of screws or rivets 22.

The reinforcing member D has the body portion 23, the middle portion 24 of which is deflected outwardly to form a boss which receives the boss I5 on member C' and abuts tie flanges i 9 on the bushing, and this boss 2li has the square hole 25 registering with the bore of the bushing member. Outside of the boss 24, the body portion 23 is deflected inwardly at opposite sides along transverse lines as indicated at 28 to bring the arms 2l with their inner faces into the planes of the inner faces of the member C so that the arms 2l will engage flatly against the head body to be secured thereto as by screws or rivets 28. The reinforcing member C is provided at its sides with rectangular recesses 29 into which the bases of the arms 27 of the member D engage when the member D is secured in place on the head, this interengagement of the members locking them against rotational displacement. The body portion of the member D has wings 3@ extending from opposite sides thereof for engagement with the member C to which they are rigidly secured by arc welding or spot welding 3|. The two reinforcing members are thus rigidly secured together and to the reel head to stiifen and strengthen the head against distortion, mutilation, or breakage. The bushing members E extend inwardly a short distance through the respective heads openings I8, and with the bushings extending through the square holes I6 in the reinforcing members C and with their flanges i9 welded to the reinforcing members C and rigidly clamped between the two reinforcing members C and D, these bushing members being thus rigidly secured to the heads in axial alignment with each other for the reception of bars for mounting the reel for winding or unwinding.

After securing of the reinforcing members to the heads of the reel, the bosses 2li on the reinforcing members D will project a sufcient distance beyond the plane of the outer face of the heads to serve as bearings for engagement with the supports for the reel during winding or unwinding thereof. The metal rims i3 surrounding and secured to the peripheral portions of the reel heads provide tires for protecting the reel when rolled on the ground. Grip openings 32 may be provided through the heads to facilitate carrying of the reel.

Where the reinforcing members C and D cover or overlap any of the holes in the reel for the bolts Il, the members may be provided with openings for receiving the bolt head or nut. As shown on Figure 1, one of the arms of the reinforcing member C has the clearance hole 33 therethrough for the head or nut of one of the bolts.

I have shown the arms of the reinforcing structures or spiders substantially flat, but it is obvi- `ous that these arms and other portions of the reinforcing structure could be of channel shape 'or could be deflected to provide strengthening ribs or other formations.

I have thus produced a strong and comparatively light reel for heavy duty in which the nonmetallic head bodies are braced and strengthened by metallic reinforcement structures which serve also to rigidly hold the bushings for the reel in proper position. I do not however desire to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim as follows:

l. A reinforcing structure for the head of a reel, comprising two members each formed integrally by stamping from metal stock, said members intersecting and extending diametrally across the outer side of the head and rigidly secured thereto, said members at their intersection being welded together, and a bushing stamped integral from metal stock rigidly secured at its outer end to said reinforcing members, said head having an axial passageway through which the bushing extends.

2. A reinforcing structure for a reel head having a bushing receiving opening, comprising two members each formed integral by stamping from metal stock, said members extending diametrally across the outer face of the head and rigidly secured thereto along their outer portions and having their inner portions overlapping, the inner member having a hole therethrough in registration with the reel bushing opening, a metal bushing iltting and extending through the hole in the inner member and having flanges at its outer end welded to said member, said bushing projecting through the opening in the reel head, the outer or overlapping reinforcing member having a hole therethrough in registration with the bushing bore, and extensions on the overlapping member welded to the other member.

3. A reinforcing structure for a reel head comprising inner and outer members extending at right angles with each other with their outer ends adapted for engagement against the outer side of the reel to be rigidly secured thereto, said inner member having a central hole therethrough, a metal bushing extending through said hole and welded to said member, said outer member being welded at its middle portion to said inner member and having a hole therethrough in alignment with said bushing, said bushing adapted to extend through a hole provided in the reel head.

4. A reinforcing spider for attachment to the outer side of a reel head, comprising two metal bars each in the form of an integral stamping, the central portions of said ybars overlapping and having aligned holes therethrough, and a metal bushing extending through the hole of one of said bars and having flanges extending outwardly to be clamped between the overlapping portions of said bars.

5. A reinforcing spider for attachment to the outer side of a reel head, comprising two metal bars each in the form of an integral stamping, the central portions of said bars overlapping and having aligned holes therethrough, and a metal bushing extending through the hole of one of said bars and having flanges extending outwardly to be clamped between the overlapping portions of said bars, the middle portion of one of said bars having recesses for receiving the other bar whereby said bars are locked against rotational displacement.

6. A reinforcing structure for a reel head which has a bushing opening therethrough, comprising two bars each stamped integral from sheet metal and of a length to extend diametrally across the reel head, said central portions of said bars overlapping and having alined holes therethrough for aligning with the bushing opening in a reel head, a metallic bushing having its outer end projected through the hole in the overlapped bar and having flanges extending laterally therefrom and welded to the overlapped bar, said overlapping portions being welded together to securely clamp the bushing flange between the bars.

7. A reinforcing structure for a reel head which has a bushing opening therethrough, comprising two bars each stamped integral from sheet metal and of a length to extend diametrally across the reel head, said central portions of said bars overlapping and having alined holes therethrough for aligning with the bushing opening in a reel head, a metallic bushing having its outer end projected through the hole in the overlapped bar and having flanges extending laterally therefrom and welded to the overlapped bar, said overlapping portions being Welded together to securely clamp the bushing flange between the bars, the middle portion of said overlapped bar having laterally extending abutments at its sides between which the overlapping bar extends whereby said bars are secured against rotational displacement.

8. A reel head comprising a disc of non-metallic material having a hole at its center, a metallic reinforcing spider formed of two bars extending radially across the outer side of the disc at right angles to each other and secured to the disc, the middle portions of said bars overlapping and having holes therethrough aligning with the hole in the disc, and a metallic bushing extending through the hole of the overlapped bar and through the hole in the disc and having a flange at its outer end extending between said bars and welded to one of said bars.

9. A reel head comprising a disc of non-metallic material having a hole at its center, a metallic reinforcing spider formed of two bars extending radially across the outer side of the disc at right angles to each other and secured to the disc. the

middle portions of said bars overlapping and having holes therethrough aligning with the hole in the disc, and e, metallic bushing extending through the hole of the overlapped bar and through the hole in the disc and having a flange at its outer end extending between said bars and Welded to one of said bars, the middle portions of said bars having interengaging abutments for locking said bars against rotational displacement.

10. A reel head comprising a disc of non-metallic material having a bushing hole at the center thereof, a reinforcing structure comprising two metal bars extending diametrally across the outside of the disc at right angles to each other and secured to the disc, the middle parts of the bars overlapping, the overlapped part of the one bar having a portion deflected outwardly to form a boss, the overlapping part of the other bar having a portion deflected outwardly to form a boss for receiving the boss on the other bar, said bosses having holes therethrough aligning with the disc bushing hole, a metallic bushing extending through the overlapped part of the one bar and through the disc hole and having a flange at its outer end extending between said bosses and welded to one of said bosses whereby to be held against rotational movement.

11. A reel head comprising a disc of non-metallic material having a bushing hole at the center thereof, a reinforcing structure comprising two metal bars extending diametrally across the outside of the disc at right angles to each other and secured to the disc, the middle parts of the bars overlapping, the overlapped part of the one bar having a portion deflected outwardly to form a boss, the overlapping part of the other bar hav- 5 ing a portion deflected outwardly to form a boss for receiving the boss on the other bar, said bosses having holes therethrough aligning with the disc bushing hole, a metallic bushing extending through the overlapped part of the one bar and 10 through the disc hole and having a flange at its outer end extending between said bosses and welded to one of said bosses whereby to be held against rotational movement, said overlapping parts being welded together and provided at their g sides with interlocking abutments whereby said bars are rigidly locked against rotational displacement.

12. A reinforcing spider for a reel head comprising inner and outer metal bars at right angles 9' with each other and adapted to be secured to the HILYARD C. HOWSAM. 

